1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oral care compositions which are designed to improve the effectiveness of antibacterial compounds in the retardation and prevention of bacterial plaque accumulation on the teeth.
2. The Prior Art
Dental plaque is a soft deposit which forms on teeth and is comprised of an accumulation of bacteria and bacterial by-products. Plaque adheres tenaciously at the points of irregularity or discontinuity, e.g., on rough calculus surfaces, at the gum line and the like. Besides being unsightly, plaque is implicated in the occurrence of gingivitis and other forms of periodontal disease.
A wide variety of antibacterial agents have been suggested in the art to retard plaque formation and the oral infections and dental disease associated with plaque formation. For example, halogenated hydroxydiphenyl ether compounds such as triclosan are well known to the art for their antibacterial activity and have been used in oral compositions to counter plaque formation by bacterial accumulation in the oral cavity.
Although antibacterial agents such as triclosan are highly effective in killing bacteria which are responsible for plaque formation, it is difficult to maintain an effective level of such agents on dental tissue for a significant time period after their application. Thus, once applied, it is important that the antibacterial compound be maintained in continuing adherence to the teeth and adjacent oral gingival mucosa thereby retarding washout of the antibacterial compound from infected areas of dental tissue by saliva present in the mouth. This allows for a sufficient amount of compound to remain in contact with the dental tissue and achieve a protracted and therefore enhanced antibacterial effect.